Ky made it back to the gate, let herself in and locked it, then slumped against it for a moment to catch her breath. Her entire body was trembling with the fear of having been outside by herself. She set the torch in one of the holders then bent down and began washing the bone using the snow.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius himself was trembling from the effort of holding the goat still, but he was otherwise calm. Once he had steadied himself, he stood and lifted the goat with a grunt. Almost at once he was dizzy; it was a heavy creature and its limpness just made it harder. Bracing himself on his wooden leg since he trusted it not to give out, he heaved the beast onto the altar, then set the bowl beside it. He wiped his face with his clean hand.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky scrubbed until her hands were numb, then a bit more. When the snow was coming away clean she picked up the bone and headed inside.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
He dipped two fingers in the blood when he was ready, closed his eyes, and began to pray in Nortung. He drew a symbol on his forehead and a symbol on the shrine above the goat's head. Then he held up his bloodied right hand and continued to pray.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky took the bone to her washroom and cleaned it up more then dried it off. It was as clean as possible now. She grabbed a small pen knife and some paper and a pencil then headed down to the library and sat in one the chairs by one of the tables that was front and center.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Nothing changed, as he might have expected; the words rang out in the empty grove and fell to the muffins snow. No gods reached out to him. No revelation was had. He felt the same as he usually did, albeit winded and a bit dizzy from the exertion it took to kill and carry the goat. He opened his eyes and took the final item off the altar: a bit of flint and steel. He cradled the steel in his bad hand and struck it until a flame caught in the fur of the beast, then he blew gently on it to help it grow. He hadn't done this in a very long time; he wasn't sure exactly how long it would burn.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky grabbed the books to refer back to them. Praises and thanks. She could do this. She used to pray to the Southern god nightly with Papa. She just needed to remember how to be grateful.
She started writing down her prayer.
Dear Haelar,
Thank you for this day and the safety we’ve had therein. Thank you for visiting me and choosing me to be your herald. Thank you for letting me see my Papa and feel his arms around me once again.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
The goat burned slowly. Gaius ended up seating himself beside the altar while he waited, blinking away sleep a few times before digging the hilt of the knife into his palm to keep himself alert. He couldn't afford to fall asleep in the cold; he'd wake up dead.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
I pray for safety for my living family, both the ones I share blood with and the ones I share love.
She wrinkled her nose. Gaius would think her a complete buffoon… Haelar probably would, too.
She felt anxiety gripping at her gut and had a pang of desperate desire to stop. But she forced herself to keep going. She could always go back and scribble that out later.
Please tell me how I should contact you in the future and help me prepare to be a good herald for you. I also have questions about some of the ghosts in the Keep and I would appreciate if I could talk to you again some day if you’re not too terribly busy. I promise I’ll be quick.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Finally the goat smoldered; it was cooked more than burned to ashes, but Gaius supposed that would suffice for now. He got to his feet and limped toward the Keep.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(True lol) (Did your dog return? I’ve been sending you all my good vibes)
Ky thought for a long moment. She didn’t intend to lay her heart bare before Gaius now or ever, so she needed to be metered in what she said since she was — unfortunately — reliant on him to translate for her. For now. Plus it’d be more trouble than it was worth to carve all this onto a bone. Hopefully Haelar would just come to her soon so they could talk it out.
Also please encourage Tomhas. He’s not doing well and I’m worried about him.
Haelar would already know that so it wasn’t tattling. It wasn’t.
Your devoted herald, Kylia Ruiarc Loquitur
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(Not yet. We put up missing posters today and notified all the vet clinics and animal shelter in our area. We think maybe someone found her and decided to keep her. But she has an allergy that makes her chew her paws obsessively, so hopefully whoever might have her will take her in to get that checked out and then the vet will recognize her)
He trekked out of the grove and headed for the Keep doors.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(Aww I’m so, so sorry friend. That’s gotta be absolutely gutting. I hope you get her back soon!)
Ky started pacing anxiously, stopping only to scratch out the cheesy bit after her family and replace it with “both blood and adopted and dear friends.” Then resuming her trek as she waited for Gaius.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(It's very stressful but we have a great community around us that's been very kind; I'm just going she's safe. We had some nasty weather come through)
Gaius returned to his office to warm up while he waited for her; he was still soaked in blood so he opted not to sit down, pacing the length of the office.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(Valid! Hopefully someone just took her in for the storm and will take her to the shelter soon, then ^^)
Ky started doubting herself. They’d said meet in the library, right? Or should she go look for him? Should she check his office? Or… or should she stay put? This was taking forever. She picked up the bone and began polishing it with the hem of her tunic as she paced, sending glances at the door.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
